Scientists are currently researching possible applications for isolated cells from parent organs, such as the liver, spleen, kidney, adrenal, and pancreas. Some research that has been conducted on the clinical application of isolated cells has involved groups of cells called the Islets of Langerhans that have been isolated from the pancreas. An application for the Islet of Langerhans cells is as a treatment for diabetic patients. Patients with diabetes have Islets of Langerhans that do not function properly, and therefore, do not produce enough insulin. Some clinical research is aimed at developing a procedure for transplanting functioning Islets of Langerhans into diabetic patients to restore the insulin producing ability of the pancreas. Clinical research of such requires isolated Islet of Langerhans cells, but these cells must be isolated while still viable. Viable isolated cells are mostly obtained from organs of the very recently deceased. The apparatus and method for isolating the cells should be able to extract isolated cells with as little damage to the cells as possible.
Many different methods and approaches have been attempted to isolate individual cells from their respective parent organs. Prior methods have produced isolated cells with some cell destruction. This cell destruction can result from the relatively severe mechanical stimulation that is used to isolate cells from an organ.
One method that attempts to overcome the loss of damaged cells due to relatively severe mechanical stress is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,160, to Lacy, et al. The method disclosed by Lacy, et al. comprises the steps of: placing an organ or a piece of an organ in a digestion chamber along with marble agitators; distending the organ or a piece of the organ with physiologically compatible medium containing a protease; continuously recirculating that medium; and separating the isolated cells. The marble agitators greatly increase the amount of undamaged cells obtained through isolation without reducing the quality of the isolated cells obtained by gently agitating the organ. Moreover, the marbles are an appropriate size, weight, and density for obtaining beneficial results as compared to other agitators of varying size, weight, and density which can cause severe mechanical disruption of the organ tissue resulting in some cells being destroyed.